Deer in four Michigan counties have tested positive for epizootic hemorrhagic disease, marking the first confirmed cases of the year as the virus makes its seasonal return. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources detected the disease, known as EHD, in free-ranging white-tailed deer from Branch, Ingham, Jackson and Lenawee counties on September 9, according to Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
What Triggered the Detections
The findings were confirmed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Health Section and the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, according to ClickOnDetroit and as reported by Michigan Department of Natural Resources. These are the first EHD detections reported anywhere in Michigan for 2026, and the department says it will post any additional detections on its EHD webpage as the season continues.
EHD is transmitted by infected biting midges, not through direct contact between deer. That transmission pattern can produce abrupt, concentrated outbreaks in particular areas. The disease generally appears in late summer and early fall, with outbreaks tending to be more serious after a wet spring followed by a hot, dry summer.
How Severe Could This Get
Michigan's EHD History
The current four-county detection is smaller than some previous statewide reports. According to Michigan Department of Natural Resources records, EHD was detected in 30 Michigan counties in 2012, including Ingham, Jackson and Lenawee. The disease has returned at varying levels in more recent years: the DNR reported cases in 15 counties in 2024 and in eight counties by mid-September 2025. Those totals underscore that EHD recurs in Michigan but that the geographic extent changes from year to year.
The number of affected deer can vary sharply from one area to another. In some places, EHD causes substantial mortality, while other deer in the same outbreak area become infected without dying. Michigan has recorded outbreaks in a dozen or more counties in some years, although the Michigan Department of Natural Resources says the disease has not produced a major long-term effect on the state's overall deer population. Brent Rudolph said this year's activity is comparable to 2025 levels, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Transmission typically ends after the first hard frost of fall, which kills the midges that carry the virus.
Spotting a Sick Deer
Warning signs can include unusual lethargy, disorientation, lameness, lack of responsiveness, a swollen or blue-tinged tongue, bloody discharge from the nose or mouth, and swelling around the head, neck or eyelids. Deer with EHD may also move toward water because fever and dehydration can accompany the infection. Those signs are not unique to EHD, however, and laboratory testing is required for confirmation.
Safety for Hunters and Pet Owners
Michigan officials say there is no current evidence that EHD infects people, pets or other Michigan wildlife. The Michigan DNR says properly harvested venison from affected areas is safe to eat, but advises against consuming any deer that appears visibly ill, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Anyone who comes across a deer they suspect has contracted or died from EHD is asked to submit a diseased wildlife report through the DNR's Eyes in the Field online system, giving state biologists another data point as they track the virus's spread through the rest of the fall.
